Best things to do in Sandakan

Meet some of the island's most famous inhabitants in their native habitat at Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC). Opened in 2014, the center rehabilitates sun bears that have been rescued from captivity, then reintroduces them to the wild in the surrounding nature reserve. Visit the main center to learn about the conservationists' important work, as well as the threats posed to these distinctive and desperately endangered creatures. Stand on wooden observation decks to watch the bears play, climb, and feed as they head down the road to recovery.

Visit the home of the island's most iconic natives at Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary. Founded in 1994 by a benevolent developer, the reserve protects around 60 of the seriously endangered primates, supplementing their diet and keeping track of their numbers. Visit the center at feeding time to watch the families of these pot-bellied, large-nosed monkeys emerge from the jungle, and take a walk across the reserve to observe them searching for food in their natural habitat.

Visit Sandakan Memorial Park, a powerful historical site commemorating Allied prisoners of war. Built in the grounds of the former Sandakan camp, the memorial honors the lives of 2,345 POWs that died during the Sandakan and Ranau death marches, when the country was occupied by Japanese forces during World War II. A simple black obelisk marks the beginning of the route marched by the prisoners, and bears a moving inscription in dedication to their lives and service.

Admire the nature of some of the earth's slowest inhabitants at Turtle Island Park. Providing a safe habitat for the endangered green and hawksbill turtles, the park offers the opportunity to see turtle landings at night. You'll need to join an organized tour to access the attraction, which includes an overnight stay in the onsite accommodations. After dark is the time to catch sight of the turtles coming in and laying their eggs, which rangers then take into the hatchery for protection. It's not all about the turtles, though: their natural enemy, giant monitor lizards, also live in the park, along with eagles and sharks. Note that the hour boat ride to the park can induce a bit of seasickness, so plan ahead.

Visit an important conservation project at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Opened in 1964, the center aims to rehabilitate orphaned baby orangutans rescued from logging sites, plantations, hunters, and homes, before releasing them into the wild. Set in a protected rainforest, the project lets you witness how they train the young orangutans to survive in their natural habitat, swinging on climbing frames, being fed, and monkeying around. Walk the wooden pathways and bridges through the surrounding nature reserve to see mature orangutans back in their natural environment after rehabilitation and release.

Visit a center of environmental education at Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC). Starting off as an environmental school, the center opened its doors to the public in 2007, maintaining its focus on conservation and education while broadening its appeal to younger and amateur visitors. Enjoy a stroll through the plant identification garden to learn about the vegetation that thrives in the surrounding nature reserve. Take a trip up to the 25 m (82) ft high canopy walkway to gain a new perspective on an area of thick rainforest--great for photographs and bird-spotting, and secure enough for kindergarten-age children.

To explore the vast limestone chamber of Gomantong Cave Sandakan, visitors brave the pungent reek of bat guano, the sight of millions of creepy crawlies, and the constant drip of moisture from the ceiling far above. Circumnavigate the cave on a raised walkway, which carries you over the steaming bat droppings and masses of cockroaches, scorpions, centipedes, and crabs. Shafts of sunlight pierce the cavern, providing enough light to make out the twittering bats and swiftlets, small birds known for making edible nests, a highly prized ingredient of bird's nest soup. Bring a hat to protect your head and step carefully across the slick boardwalk. In the rainforest outside the cave you can spot rare birds and monkeys, as well as an occasional orangutan.

On a hilltop overlooking the town and its harbor, Puu Jih Shih Buddhist Temple is the largest Chinese temple in the area. If you wish to learn about the history and significance of this shrine, sign up for a guided tour of the city--visits to the temple are usually included in most day trips.

The remarkable life of a celebrated American author comes to life at Agnes Newton Keith Home, filled with a mixture of period reproductions and genuine antique furniture . Agnes Newton Keith published three autobiographical accounts of life in Borneo, and this museum occupies her former home in Sandakan. Upstairs, browse the gallery providing insight into Keith's life through words and pictures; pay special attention to the section dedicated to her time spent in an internment camp during World War II. After visiting the museum, take a moment to wander through the gardens, overlooking Sandakan Bay.